Neuro Mod 3 Flashcards
what does the thalamus relay?
sensory input to the cortex
gateway to the cortex
what does the relay center of the thalamus do before projecting to cortex
MODIFIES and projects ALL INPUT to the cortex (except CN1)
What is the input to thalamus?
ALL sensory must pass through except CN1 (pain input MODIFIED at thalamus)
motor passes through via basal ganglia
limbic system connects to thalamus - thus plays role in emotional behavior
What is the output from thalamus?
most fibers project to the cortex - some project to limbic areas and basal ganglia
What is the somatosensory input to the thalamus?
enters consciousness
What is the structure of the thalamus?
oval shaped cluster of nuclei that comprises 80% of diencephalon
What are the anatomical divisions of the thalamus?
anterior division - anterior nucleus medial division - dorsomedial nucleus (DM) Lateral division intralaminar nuclei reticular nuclei
What are the 4 parts of the lateral division of the thalamus?
dorsal tier - lateral dorsal, lateral posterior, pulvinar
lateral tier - ventral anterior, ventral lateral, ventral posterior, ventral posterolateral, and ventral posteromedial
medial geniculate
lateral geniculate
What are the 3 functional categories/roles of the thalamus?
- communicate specific sensory input to the appropriate area of the cerebral cortex
- Decision maker
- functional role for the basal ganglia and limbic system
Give an example of the specific communication role in the thalamus?
somatosensory input from the thumb project to the VPL of the thalamus which projects to the thumb in primary somatosensory area (3,1,2)
What is the decision maker role of the thalamus?
decides about which form of information should be projected to the cerebral cortex for processing (gate keeper/distribution role between the areas of the cortex)
Has regulatory inputs
Give an example of regulatory inputs in the thalamus?
areas of parietal lobe project to the lateral posterior nucleus (an association nucleus) which in turns project back to the parietal lobe of the cortex
What is the functional role for the basal gangle and limbic system in the thalamus?
basal ganglia and limbic system project to thalamic nuclei (intralaminar and midline nuclei) which project to both the cortex and back to the basal ganglia or limbic system
Describe the 3 pathology steps of the thalamus?
- central pain
- thalamic pain
- thalamic syndrome
What is the internal capsule?
bundle of fibers (white matter) located between thalamus/caudate nucleus and the lenticular nucleus
what is the broad expense of white matter spanning up and out to the cortex within the internal capsule?
corona radiata
What are the 5 parts of internal capsule?
anterior limb posterior limb genu retrolenticular part sublenticular part
what does the anterior limb of internal capsule contain?
fibers connecting anterior nucleus (thalamic relay nucleus) to cingulate
dorsomedial nucleus (association nucleus) to prefrontal
also projects from frontal lobe to pontine nuclei in brainstem (frontopontine fibers)
What does the posterior limb of internal capsule contain?
ascending/descending motor and sensory pathways
what is the genu in the internal capsule?
transition area between anterior and posterior limbs
What does the retrolenticular part of the internal capsule contain?
fibers connecting thalamus to posterior lobes of cerebral cortex (parietal and occipital)
projections between LP/pulvinar to/from parietal/occipital cortex
optic radiation
What is optic radiation?
projection from thalamus to visual cortex (17-occipital lobe)
found in retrolenticular part of internal capsule and sublenticular part
What does sublenticular part of internal capsule contain?
optic radiation
fibers of auditory radiation
What is auditory radiation?
projection from thalamus to auditory cortex (41-temporal lobe)
What is the pathology of the internal capsule?
stroke
contains perforating arteries
What are perforating arteries?
numerous small branches that originate from the circle of Willis and the ACA, MCA, PCA and basilar arteries
What do the perforating arteries supply within the internal capsule?
sub cortical regions
- diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, subthalamus)
- internal capsule -pathway of myelinated axons leaving and entering the cerebral cortex (located between thalamus and basal ganglia)
- limbic structures
- pons
- cerebellum
What is infarction (occlusion) in the perforating arteries in the internal capsule called?
lacunar stroke/small vessel stroke
What blood supply is affected in the lacunar stroke?
supply to the internal capsule (and thalamus)
lenticulostriate arteries of MCA
perforating arteries of ACA and anterior communicating artery
3 RF of the lacunar stroke?
HTN
smoking
and DM
depending on location of lacunar stroke may present how?
pure motor, ataxic, mixed motor/sensory and pure sensory
Pathology of lacunar stroke?
micro-deposits of CT of fatty tissue blocks artery
obstruction results in small necrotic tissue
necrotic tissue is removed by macrophages leave hole -cystic lesion
small penetrating arteries are not usually directly affected by athrerosclerosis
4 common patterns of lacunar stroke?
pure motor stroke (MC form)
ataxic hemiparesis (2nd MC form)
Mixed motor and sensory involvement
Pure sensory stroke
What is a pure motor stroke?
contralateral hemiparesis/hemiplegia
face/arms/hands/legs
what is ataxic hemiparesis stroke?
combination of cerebellar/motor symptoms
site of lesion involves cerebellar tracts as well as motor pathways
homolateral ataxia and crural paresis